Improvisational. Creative. Mischievous. Genius. Exciting. Unique. These are all words used to describe one of the most invigorating, influential and provoking genres of our time, Jazz. Jazz evokes human emotion in an array of different ways more so than another genre of the pre-fifties generation of music. Jazz can be upbeat, or sultry, fun or serious. This is due to the fact, that Jazz is the melting pot of elements of Ragtime, Blues, and marching band sounds.
             All that jazz actually began in the late 19th century down in New Orleans. This new sound that grabbed elements from the Blues and Ragtime, among other influences, and was most notable one of the most unique and intricate forms of music that anyone had ever heard. What made Jazz such a unique and interesting tour de force was its prevalent use of improvisation. This was the first time a genre bent the western musical archetype, and yet strangely it felt completely natural, more so than the premeditated music of the time. In the old formula, a composer wrote a song and the instrumentalists played it exactly as written, but with Jazz a group of musicians used the composed piece as a mere starting point from which to go from. The song could have easily been a popular song of the times, but by the time the group had collaborated they had formed a completely new, fresh and alive piece of music, that usually bore little or no resemblance to the original. An interesting fact too, is that Jazz musicians usually could not sight read, if they could read music at all.
             Jazz created a vibe that thrilled audiences and thrived with spontaneity. Jazz seemed to capture the very essence of bliss and adventure that was a radical departure from music of that time. Jazz, like most other genres, is the product of the virtuoso African American musicians.
             Jazz became a fusion of African American and Creole musicians in New Orleans. The first "real" Jazz musi...